ns
enjoy a complete equality of status and of rights. They are forbidden
to enter into alliances or treaties of a political nature among
themselves, though they are permitted to conclude intercantonal
conventions upon legislative, administrative, and judicial subjects,
provided such conventions, upon inspection by the federal officials,
are found to be devoid of stipulations contrary to the federal
constitution or inimical to the rights of any canton. In the event of
disputes between cantons, the questions at issue are required to be
submitted to the federal government for decision, and the individual
canton must refrain absolutely from the use of violence, and even from
military preparation.

*456. Powers Vested Exclusively in the Confederation.*--Within the text
of the constitution the division of powers between the federal and the
cantonal governments is minute, though far from systematic. The
clearest conception of the existing arrangements may perhaps be had by
observing that provision is made for three principal categories of
powers: (1) those that the Confederation has an exclusive right to
exercise, some being merely permissive, others obligatory; (2) those
which the Confederation is required, or allowed, to exercise in
concurrence with the cantons; and (3) those which are not permitted to
be exercised at all.

Of powers committed absolutely to the Confederation, the most
important are those of declaring war, making peace, and concluding
alliances and treaties with foreign powers, especially treaties
relating to tariffs and commerce.[598] The Confederation is (p. 414)
forbidden to maintain a standing army, and no canton, without federal
permission, may maintain a force numbering more than three hundred
men. None the less, by law of 1907, every male Swiss citizen between
the ages of twenty and forty-eight is liable to military service, and
the constitution vests not only the sole right of declaring war but
also the organization and control of the national forces in the
Confederation.[599] The neutralized status with which, by international
agreement, Switzerland has been vested renders a war in which the
nation should be involved, other, at any rate, than a civil contest,
extremely improbable.[600] Within the domain of international
relations, the cantons retain the right to conclude treaties with
foreign powers respecting border and police relations and the
administration of public property. All remain